The present invention relates generally to an absorbent garment, and in particular, to an absorbent garment having an expandable absorbent portion and to methods for making and using such a garment.
Absorbent garments, and in particular disposable absorbent garments, often include a backsheet, an absorbent retention portion, and a topsheet, or liner, with the retention portion sandwiched between the backsheet and the topsheet. Some disposable absorbent garments include interfolded pleats formed in each of the backsheet, retention portion and topsheet. The pleats are arranged to expand as the garment absorbs liquid, and also to expand so as to surround the body of the user. As such, the pleats must be arranged so as to accommodate the girth of the user, which can result in a bunching of the garment in the crotch area. Such garments may therefore feel bulky to the user. In addition, the folds of the interfolded topsheet, which lies adjacent the body of a user, may catch or bind on the user rather than presenting an uninterrupted, smooth surface to the user.
Other absorbent garments provide only a pleated backsheet and/or topsheet, with a monolayer retention portion sandwiched therebetween. As such, the retention portion does not have additional folds that can accommodate various liquids and thereby increase the absorptive capacity of the garment. Accordingly, conventional garments such as those described above may not provide desired levels of fit, absorbency and ease of manufacture.